Palm Spring, Saline Valley
Also known as Volcano Pool and Wizard Pool Hot Springs
98–112°F
Pool temperatures
4WD road
Hard access
Paid
Fees apply
Palm Spring is a small, less crowded spring area in Saline Valley with two user-built tubs. Wizard Pool is the hotter one at roughly 105-112F, and Volcano Pool is about 98-104F. It lies at the end of a long, rough desert road in Death Valley National Park, and nudity is common. A fire in mid-September 2026 closed the nearby campground, so current status should be checked.
01 · Before you go
Plan your visit
What to expect on the ground: rules, facilities and when to go.
- Dogs allowed
- Clothing optionalCommon here, not official policy
- Camping nearbyFree dispersed camping in the Saline Valley warm springs area, with a limit of 30 days per year. Camping is not allowed within 100 feet of the spring sources. The Saline Valley Warm Springs Campground was closed after a fire on Sept. 15, 2026, with no reopening date announced as of the sources found.
- Toilets
- 2 pools
- QuietFall, winter and spring.
- SeasonThe road in is long, rough dirt and is sometimes closed by flooding. Snow can close high passes in winter. Summer air temperatures often exceed 110F.
- FeesGuides say a Death Valley park pass is required. Camping at the Saline Valley springs is free, with a 30-day yearly stay limit.
Best time to go. Fall, winter and spring. Summer heat is extreme and can be dangerous.
02 · Live
Conditions
Access status, weather and hazards. Closure feeds are checked automatically every morning.
Access
No closures reported
No closure, fire or weather warning found in Forest Service, wildfire (NIFC) or National Weather Service feeds. That isn't confirmation it's open, so check with Death Valley National Park.
Checked 14 Oct · updated daily
Sept. 15, 2026: a fire burned about 80 nonnative palm trees and a camp host shed in the Lower Spring area. The NPS temporarily closed the Saline Valley Warm Springs Campground for hazard assessment and gave no reopening date. Reports said the soaking tubs survived. Check NPS conditions before going, and confirm whether Palm Spring itself is open.
Extreme desert heat in summer. The area is very remote with no services, and the road in is rough, so a breakdown or flat tire is a serious problem. Wizard Pool can reach about 112F. Fire damage and hazards from the Sept. 2026 fire at Lower Spring may affect the area.
03 · Route
Getting there
Nearest town: Big Pine.
- 1
The springs are in Saline Valley in the western part of Death Valley National Park, about 40 miles from the nearest paved road. The usual approach is Saline Valley Road, about 55 miles from Big Pine to the springs.
- 2
Guides describe the road as unpaved, rough and high-clearance. The warm springs are reached from the main road via Warm Springs Road, also called Painted Rock Road.
- 3
Palm Spring is the smaller, less crowded spring area near Lower Spring, and its source feeds two tubs.
36.8140, −117.7630 · nearest town Big Pine, CA
04 · Where to stay
Stay nearby
Start early and stay close. Places to stay near Big Pine, from campgrounds to cabins.
If you book through these links we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It never affects what we list or how.
